9:57 PM,
Sep. 26, 2013

Despite a torrid start to the playoffs, Kyle Busch, left, is still chasing teammate Matt Kenseth in the standings.

Written by

Jeff Gluck
USA Today Sports

Kyle Busch stood in the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield and raised his arms in triumph, checkered flag in hand.

It wouldn't have been an unusual scene except for the setting. Instead of victory lane, Busch was in the center of a makeshift paintball arena bordered by rusty school buses and filled with neatly-stacked tires and clusters of barrels.

Busch's latest win was even sweeter given his opponents: A team made up of NASCAR media members, representative of his occasional critics. ...